<p>In terms of college financial aid here is a link to a recent conversation on the Theatre forum. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/theater-drama-majors/808428-financial-aid.html?highlight=financial+aid[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/theater-drama-majors/808428-financial-aid.html?highlight=financial+aid</a> </p>
<p>I will bump the discussion from the MT forum as well. <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/638768-whos-generous-talent-awards-whos-tight.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/musical-theater-major/638768-whos-generous-talent-awards-whos-tight.html</a></p>
<p>The sense I get is that colleges have more merit aid for academics than talent, but that some schools do have talent merit money as well. </p>
<p>With the current economic situation I would believe that more and more schools might allocate more of their financial aid dollars based more upon financial need as demonstrated on the FAFSA. Anecdotally speaking it sounds as if that has been the experience of people on this site. </p>
<p>College financial aid packages are a combination of loans and (sometimes) scholarships. I think the link below and the thread I bumped with give an idea of some of the schools that in the past have had talent merit money. </p>
<p>Students who attend schools like Walnut Hill and Interlochen are very successful in college auditions, so are students who do not attend schools like these. If your D chooses to go to a school like Interlochen or Walnut Hill it has to be to take advantage of the educational opportunities available to her there over the next two years. The college outcomes are too hard to predict. I think kedstuff’s advice in post #4 is spot on… “The exposure he had to rigorous arts training undoubtedly improved his preparation for college auditions. The context also put him (and us) in a much more informed position about which college programs were the ones likely to be a good fit for his artistic interests… The discipline learned in rigorous arts hs programs is valuable. Not all students who attend these schools adapt to it well and not all students who don’t attend arts high schools lack it.” </p>
<p>It is probably worth it to apply to Interlochen and Walnut Hill , and make a decision once your D has the acceptances and financial aid packages in hand. Since applications seem to be due for most summer programs rather early, you could also apply to a few of those in case you make the decision not to attend a PA boarding school. There is no one “right” choice, just different ones. Once you have all of the information it will be easier to weigh the pros and cons of each decision.</p>